Surgical stapler with end effector coating

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for promoting wound healing. In general, surgical staplers and stapler components are provided having a coating thereon that is configured to selectively control an interaction between at least one matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor and an outer surface of the stapler or stapler component.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A staple assembly, comprising:
 a surgical stapler; 
 a staple cartridge loadable into the surgical stapler, the staple cartridge containing a plurality of staples each configured to be actuated by the surgical stapler to be implanted into tissue; 
 an absorbable polymer selectively applied to a first portion of each of the staples in the plurality of staples; and 
 a lubricant selectively applied to a second portion of each of the staples in the plurality of staples. 
 
     
     
       2. The staple assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbable polymer has a substantially-permanent ionic charge. 
     
     
       3. The staple assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the substantially-permanent ionic charge is configured to attract cells of the tissue to accelerate a healing process. 
     
     
       4. The staple assembly of  claim 2 , wherein a positively-charged initiator molecule inducing a ring opening polymerization of at least one cyclic monomer is configured to create the substantially-permanent ionic charge. 
     
     
       5. The staple assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbable polymer and the lubricant at least partially overlap one another on each staple in the plurality of staples. 
     
     
       6. The staple assembly of  claim 1  further comprising an MMP inhibitor selectively applied to the first portion of each of the staples in the plurality of staples, wherein the absorbable polymer is configured to minimize adhesion of the MMP inhibitor to the first portion of the staples in the plurality of staples. 
     
     
       7. The staple assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbable polymer comprises a non-synthetic material. 
     
     
       8. The staple assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the non-synthetic material is selected from the group consisting of lyophilized polysaccharide, glycoprotein, bovine pericardium, collagen, gelatin, fibrin, fibrinogen, elastin, proteoglycan, keratin, albumin, hydroxyethyl cellulose, cellulose, oxidized cellulose, oxidized regenerated cellulose (ORC), hydroxypropyl cellulose, carboxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethylcellulose, chitan, chitosan, casein, alginate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       9. The staple assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the absorbable polymer comprises a synthetic material. 
     
     
       10. The staple assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the synthetic material is selected from the group consisting of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA), polycaprolactone (PCL), polyglycolic acid (PGA), poly(trimethylene carbonate) (TMC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a copolymer of glycolide and ϵ-caprolactone (PGCL), a copolymer of glycolide and -trimethylene carbonate, poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS), poly(dioxanone) (PDS), polyesters, poly(orthoesters), polyoxaesters, polyetheresters, polycarbonates, polyamide esters, polyanhydrides, polysaccharides, poly(ester-amides), tyrosine-based polyarylates, polyamines, tyrosine-based polyiminocarbonates, tyrosine-based polycarbonates, poly(D,L-lactide-urethane), poly(hydroxybutyrate), poly(B-hydroxybutyrate), poly(ε-caprolactone), polyethyleneglycol (PEG), poly[bis(carboxylatophenoxy)phosphazene]poly(amino acids), pseudo-poly(amino acids), absorbable polyurethanes, poly(phosphazine), polyphosphazenes, polyalkyleneoxides, polyacrylamides, polyhydroxyethylmethylacrylate, polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyvinyl alcohols, poly(caprolactone), polyacrylic acid, polyacetate, polypropylene, aliphatic polyesters, glycerols, copoly(ether-esters), polyalkylene oxalates, polyamides, poly(iminocarbonates), polyalkylene oxalates, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       11. A staple cartridge for use with surgical staplers, comprising:
 a staple cartridge housing loadable into a surgical stapler; and 
 a plurality of staples contained within the staple cartridge housing and configured to be individually actuated to be driven into tissue, each of the staples in the plurality of staples including a staple body, a first coating selectively applied to a first portion of the staple body, and a second coating selectively applied to a second portion of the staple body, wherein the first coating comprises an absorbable polymer and the second coating comprises a lubricant. 
 
     
     
       12. The staple cartridge of  claim 11 , wherein the first coating and the second coating at least partially overlap. 
     
     
       13. The staple cartridge of  claim 11 , wherein the first coating has a substantially permanent positive ionic charge. 
     
     
       14. The staple cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein the substantially permanent positive ionic charge is configured to increase cell mobility to speed up a tissue healing process. 
     
     
       15. The staple cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein the first coating comprises a plurality of fibers forming a bioscaffold having the substantially positive ionic charge. 
     
     
       16. The staple cartridge of  claim 13 , wherein the first coating comprise a plurality of embedded positively-charged synthetic spheres. 
     
     
       17. The staple assembly of  claim 11  further comprising an MMP inhibitor selectively applied to the first portion of the staple body, wherein the first coating is configured to minimize adhesion of the MMP inhibitor to the first portion of the staples in the plurality of staples.